Flying-machine.



E. W. F. HERRMANN.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1910.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911 a'BHBETS sRBBT z.

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ATTORNEYS E. w.- P. HERRMANN.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1910.

ATTORNEYS E. W. P. HERRMANN. PLYIN G MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 4, 1910,

Patented. Dec. 12, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST W. Ii. HERRMANN,

"or SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

FLYING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ERNST W. F. HERR- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and av resident of San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Flying-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a new and improved flying machine of the heavier-thanair or aeroplane type.

An object of this invention is to provide a flying machine with'a main supporting plane having an extensive central opening, around which the material of the plane extends on all sides, the central opening to conform generally to the form or outline of the plane as a whole, and to constitute one-third or more of the entire square surface of the plane. And in connection with said central opening, said plane is to be provided with portions thereof arranged above the horizontal level of the plane, to form an obtuse dihedral angle in the front, which more particularly relates to, the wing portions at each side, and an inverted obtuse dihedral angle in the rear, adjacent the middle of the plane. These features; that is, the central. openin and the front and rear dihedral angles, all go to make up a supporting plane which is automatically stable in itself, and will control the equilibrium of the flying machine to a considerable extent.

Another object of this invention is to rovide an aeroplane with a supporting p ane capable of being warped at various points, so as to control the ascension and desccn' sion of the machine, and also to control the lateral equilibrium and steering thereof.

1 These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts, will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. a. longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 2

2 is is. an

enlarged detail vertical section showin the means for controlling the warping of the main supporting plane; Fig. 2* is a fragmentar.y .top plan view showing the pivotal con- Specification of Letters Patent.

- Application filed May 4, 1910.

ratented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 559,268.

nection of one of the movable arms to the main frame; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the main supporting plane detached from the remainder of the machine; Fig. -1- is a front vlew in elevation, of the main supporting planes, showing the wing tips thereof in the posit-ion of ascending or descending; Fig. 5 is a. View similar to Fig. 4, showing the wing tips in the position of steering; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line (3-6 of Fig. 3, showing in full and dotted lines the various positions of one of the wing-tips;

Fig. 7 is a plan View of another form of supporting plane; and F ig. 8 is a perspective view showing still another form, in which two supporting planes having central openings extending at substantially right'angles to each other, are shown.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of the device, 1 indicates amain supporting plane, which is )rovided with a central opening 2 of prefer: ly at least onethird the area of the supporting plane, and

conforming substantially to the general out line thereof. The supporting plane 1 comprises a main frame 3 and a supporting ch 4 secured on the frame 3 and c mposed of any suitable material, such as oil silk, impregnated cotton, rubber sheeting, or the like. The frame 3 extends around the central opening 2, to form a framework or boundary therefor, and further, extends diagonally from the middle front to the rear sides, so as to form a comparatively rigid support for the web 4. The frame 3 also extends to the middle rear of the web t, but in a somewhat elevated position, so as to .form of the rear portion of the web et an inverted obtuse angle, which greatly aids in maintaining the equilibrium of the flying machine, and is particularly adapted to neutralize any pitching action of the same. This rear middle portion can. if desired, be made adjustable in any suitable manner, if it is desired to decrease the dihedral angle, as might be necessary in the case of racing. The front sides or wing tips of the web t are supported by a plurality of arms 5, 6, 7, and 8. These arms are normally held in a somewhat elevated position. at their outer ends. from the level of the frame 3, so that the front of the plane 1 is normally held in the form of a dihedral angle. This dihedral form of the front of the plane 1 also n automatic manner. However, itis often desirous for many purposes, such as quickly re aining the equlhbrium of the flying maeh1ne, and for the purpose of steering, to

vary the dihedral angle of the front of the plane as a whole, by moving both wing tips simultaneously in the same direction; or to vary the angle of each wing tip by moving said wing tips in opposite directions. For

I this purpose, the arins 5, 6, 7 and .8 are pivotally connected to the frame 3 intermediate their ends, as at 0, 10, 11 and 12. The manner of pivotingis more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2

For the purpose of manipulating the arms 5 to 8, and thus the front sides or wing tips, the arms 5 and 6, 7 and 8 are connected in pairs, as numbered, by any suitable means, such as a bolt 13, more clearly noticeable in Fig. 2". To each of these pairs of connected arms, there is pivotally connected in any well known manner a link 14. These links 14 are operatively connected to members 15' and 1G in the nature of pulleys supported in any well known manner on the frame 3. The pulleys 15 and 16 are operatively connected in any well known manner, as by means of endless flexible connections 17 and 18, to pulleys or drums 19 and 20. The pulley 20 is secured in. any well known manner to a spindle 21, which in turn is rotatably supported in any well known manner on the frame 3 in juxtaposition to an operators seat 22. The spindle 21 is provided at its upper end with any suitable operating means, such as a hand wheel 23, and has secured theretoa bevel gear 24. The bevel gear 24 meshes with a bevel gear 25, rotatably supported on a stub shaft 26, which in turn is supported by a frame 27, rotatably mounted on the spindle 21. The. bevel gear 25 meshes with a bevel gear 28, which is rotatably supported on the spindle 21 and faces in the opposite direction to the gear 24. The bevel gear 28 is provided with a sleeve 29, which extends downwardly through the frame27, and is secured in any well known manner to the pulley 19 so that the pulley 19 may be operated from the bevel gear 28.

. For the purpose of locking the frame 27 against rotation, there is provided a springpressed latch 30, which is adapted to be projected through alined openings in an auxiliary-frame 31 on the frame 3 and in the frame 27. The. latch 30 is adapted to be operated by a foot lever 34, connected in/any suitable manner to the latch, as by means plane 1 may be held in a given fixed relation. For this purpose, the gear 28 is proyided with. a'ratchet wheel or gear 32, which 1s engaged by a lock 33, secured to the frame 27 in any well known manner. It will. thus be seen that when the latch 33 is disconnected from the ratchet wheel 32, and theframe 27 is locked against rotation by the latch 30,v the rotation of the hand wheel 23 in either" direction will simultaneously manipulate the front sides or wing tips of the plane 1 in op- ,75

posite directions, one going up and the other going down, according to the rotation of the wheel 23. On the other hand, when the latch 33 is in engagement with the ratchet wheel 32,

and the latch 30 is disconnected from" the frame 27 by the operator placing his weight on the foot lever 34, the gears 24, 25and 28 will be locked together and prevented from rotating relative to each other. In this condition of affairs, any rotation of the handwheel 23, either to the-rightor-to the left, .will simultaneously operate the pulleys l9 and 20 and 15 and 16 in the same direction,

thereby manipulating the side wing tips "central opening 38'for the purpose of increasing its stability. Pivotally connected to the extension frame 36 in any well known manner, there is provided a vertical rudder 39, which is preferably bifurcated at its rear end, so as to swing above and below the trailing plane 37. This vertical rudder 39 may be manipulated in any suitable manner, as by means of flexible connections 40 extending from opposite sides of the plane and over suitable guide pulleys 41 to a drum 42, which is adapted to be rotated in either di-v rection by means of a suitable hand Wheel 1 43, located in juxtaposition to the operators 7 seat 22. Supported in superposed relation with respect to the supporting plane 1 by any suit-able means, such as frame members 44, there is provided an auxiliary supporting plane 45, which may be madein any suitable form and of any suitable material.

For the purpose of driving the machine through the air there is provided one or more propellers'46, preferably two in nuInber, arranged so as to rotate 1n opposite di-. rections, and preferably provided with opposite pitches. These propellers may be driven in any'suitable manner, as by means of a motor 47, which may be of any suitable form, preferably an internal combustion engine. In Fig. 8, there is disclosed another form, in which a main supporting plane 48, similar to the supporting plane 1, is provided, and in addition thereto, a similar plane 49 superposedabove the plane 48 in simultaneously 'tions and spaced relation. This plane 49 is also provided'with a central opening, but extends longitudinally of the flyin machine; that is to say, at substantially right angles to the linear direction of the plane 48. In Fig. 7, a modified form of main supporting plane is illustrated, which is substantially octagonal in form and with a large central opening which is also substantially octagonal in form.

The operation of the device will be readily understood when taken in connection with the above description.

The flying machine is driven through the air by means of the propellers -16, and automatically maintains its equilibrium by reason of the front dihedral angle, the rear inverted dihedral angle, and the large central opening.v \Vhen it is desired to ascend, the piachine is headed against the air current, and the angles of the wing tips on the main supporting plane increased all around When it is desired to descend, the machine is also headed up against. the air currentand the angles of the wing tips increased all around, but the .t'orce of the thrust on the air propellers is diminished to a considerable extent. conditions of aliens, gravity will gradually bring the machine to a lower level. In order to steer in a horizontal plane, the angle of one of the wing tips of the main supporting plane is reduced from the normal dihedral angle to a slighter angle, and the angle of the opposite wing tip of the main supporting plane is increased a corresponding amount from the normal dihedral angle. The rear middle portion of the main sup porting plane retains its upward bend or inverted dihedral position during the warping of the front tips -from either direction, and serves to return the plane to a normal horizontal position when any backward pitching thereof occurs. There is thus provided a. simple and ellicient control, which, by reason of its very structure, is automatic to a certain extent, but which can be manually controlled for the purpose of ascending and descending or steering to the right or left.

While l have shown several embodiments oi myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details thereof, but-desire to l t protected in various changes, modificaalterations which I may make within the scope of the appended claims.

llaving thus described my invention, claim as newand desire to secure by Letters latent:

1. in a flying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having portions thereof movable relative to the main portion, oi operating members for manipulating said inst-mentioned portions, a spindle, pulleys mounted on said spindle, means for Under these connecting said pulleys to said operatinggear box comprising an idler mounted in a frame pivoted on the spindle for indirectly driving said loosely mounted pulley from said spindle, and means for locking said loosely mounted pulley from rotation about said spindle to cause said pulley to rotate in the same direction.

2. In a flying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having portions thereof movable relative to the main portion, of operating members for manipulating said lirstanentioned portions, a spindle, pulleys mounted on said spindle, means for connecting said pulleys to said operating n'zembers, one of said pulleys being fixed on said spindle, the other of said pulleys being loosely mounted on said spindle, a gear box comprising an idler mounted on a frame pivoted on the spindle for indirectly driving said loosely mounted pulley from said spindle, and means for locking thcgmembers oi said gearing from relative movement.

3. In a flying machine, the combination with a supportingplane having portions thereof n'un'able relative to other portions, said movable portions hingiug along diagonal lines extending from the middle of the front of the plane to the rear of the sides, of means for manipulating said movable portions.

4-. In a lying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having portions thereof movable relative to other portions, said movable portions hinging along diagonal lines extending from the middle of the trout ot' the plane to the rear of the sides, of means for manipulating said movable portions selectively either simultaneously in the same direction or simultaneously in opposite directions.

In a flying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having portions thereof movable relative to other portions, said movable portions hinging along diagonal lines extending from the middle of the front of the plane to the rear of the sides, of means for manipulating said movable portions. said planebeing in the form of a rim entirely surrounding a central openin 6. In a flying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having portions thereof on able relative to the remainder thereof, of flexible connections for n1anipulating said movable portions, a pair of pulleys for actuating said flexible connections, means for selectively rotating said pulleys either in the same direction simultaneously, or simultaumiusly in opposite directions, said means comprising locks for locking said pulleys against rotation in either direction.

7. In a flying machine, the combination with movable surfaces, of flexible connections for moving said surfaces, a member adapted to actuate one of said flexible connections, a. second member adapted to actuate another of said flexible connections, a shaft for operating said first-mentioned member, a sleeve on said shaft for operating said second-mentioned merfiber, a hand wheelfor operating said shaft, means 'movably, mounted on said shaft for operatin said second-mentioned. member and sai sleeve indirectly from said hand wheel inthe opposite direction from said first-mentioned member, and means for locking said last-mentioned means so that the hand Wheel may rotate said second-mentioned member simultaneously in the same direction as said first-mentioned member.

8. In a flying machine, the .combination with movable surfaces, of flexible connections for moving said surfaces, a member adapted to actuate one of said flexible connections, a second member adapted to actuate another of said flexible connections,'a shaft for operating said first-mentioned member, a sleeve on said shaft for operating said second mentioned member, a hand Wheel for operating said shaft, means movably mounted on said shaft for operating said second-mentioned member and said sleeve indirectly from said hand Wheel in the opposite direction from said first-mentioned member, means for locking said last-mentioned means so that the hand wheel may rotate said second-mentioned member simultaneously in the same direction as said firstmentioned member, and a lock for preventing the rotation of said hand wheeL 9. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame comprising a stationary portion and movable arms extending directly transverse of the frame and diagonally of the frame, of a web mounted on said frame and adapted to remain stationary at the stationary portion of said frame and being movable at the point where it is connected with said movable arms, and means for manipulating said arms;

10. In a flying machine, the combination flexible connections for operating said pulleys, pulleys for operating said flexible connections, and means for operating said lastmentioned pulleys. I

11. In a flying machine, the combmation with a frame comprising a stationary por .tiqlliand" movable arms extending directly transverse of the frame and diagonally of the frame, of a web mounted on said frame and adapted to remain stationary at the stationary portion of saidframe and being movable at the point Where it is connected with said movable arms, links connected to said arms, pulleys for operating said links, flexible connections for operatin said-pulleys, pulleys for operating said exible connections, and means for operating said last f mentioned pulleys selectively either in the same direction or in opposite directions.

with a frame comprising a stationary portion and movable arms extending directly transverse of the frame and diagonally of the frame, of a 'web mounted on said frame and adapted to remain stationary at vthe stationary portion of said frame, and being movable at the point where itis connected with said movable arms, links connected to said arms, pulleys for operating said links, flexible connections for operating said pulleys, pulleys-for operating said flexible connections, and means for operating said lastmentioned pulleys, comprising a shaft, a hand wheel for operating said shaft, a bevel gear secured to said shaft, a sleeve mounted on said shaft, a bevel ear secured to said sleeve, means for'lockmg said bevel gear against movement, and a bevel'gear interposed as a driving member between said pre- 'viously-mentioned bevel gears.

flying machine, portions of said plane be- 13. In a flying machine, the combination with a supporting plane having a large central stabilizing opening, the rear portion of said plane being raised to form an inverted obtuse angle'adapted to cooperate with said opening to maintain the equilibrium of the ing movable relative to other portions, of controllable means for manipulating said movable portions. 7

145. In a flying machine, the combination with a framec'omprising stationary port-ions r 12. In. a flying-machine, the combination and movable arms extending directly transversely of the frame and diagonally of the frame, of a web mounted on said frame,

adapted to remain stationary at the stationary portion of said frame and being movable at the point Where it is connected with said movable arms, and being apportioned so as to form a rim inclosing a large stabiliz- -ing opening, links connected to said arms,

pulleys for operating said links, flexible'connections for operating said pulleys, pulleys for operating said flexibleconnections, and means for operating said last-mentioned pul leys selectively in the same direction 'or in opposite directions.

15. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame comprisinga stationary portionand movable arms extending transversely and diagonally of the frame, of a web mounted on said frame and adapted to remain stationary at the stationary portions name to this specification in the presence of of said frame and' being movable at the two subscribing witnesses. point where it is connected with said movable arms, said Web being in the form of a ERNST HERRMANN' 5 rim inclosing a large stabilizing opening, Witnesses:

and means for manipulating said arms. RAYMOND F. NEUMANN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my HOMER B. STREIB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtonyID. 0." 

